Barbara,I'm not usually much of a keyboard warrior, but I felt compelled to comment on your piece in the Irish Times about your daughter's departure. Either it was poorly judged, or you expressed yourself badly. I found it upsetting, because your concept of 'emigration' is so far removed from the reality. Readers I have spoken to got the impression that your daughter is gone on an extended holiday, a lot like the one I took when I was her age. It is also not clear if she left her job, or was pushed. And yes, it matters. How many emigrants, really, do you think, popped over to London for some shopping and Mummy time before packing the sunglasses and sarongs and heading for the airport? How many of them are in a position to sell a prestige car to fund the trip?Do you honestly think your experience is in any way representative of the current wave of emigration? Talk to the families who are looking at a permanent move, uprooting kids, leaving it all behind (and not in the blissful holiday sense).I understand that you'll miss your daughter. The piece was heartfelt and moving, just don't for a minute imagine that this is any sort of insight into the human tragedy of the recession. In fact, if this is as bad as it gets for you, then you're very very lucky. Let your girl enjoy her trip, and be thankful.Jo.

Thanks everyone for the comments - glad you enjoyed the tale of my curtains! My mother has a lot to answer for!

And thanks Clive and Co for the nice comment on my piece in the Irish Times. Appreciate that.

Thanks Jo for your comment too. Sorry my piece upset you but I think perhaps you missed the point. I am a writer. The piece in the Irish Times was a personal account of how it felt to wave my daughter goodbye as she headed to Australia for at least a year. It was not a social commentary. I dont think I mentioned recession at all.

The headline was "Emigration is not a tragedy. It just feels like one." And that is the point. The emigration of young single people who go off to work abroad, gaining experience of all aspects of life and work before coming home to settle back down here is a great idea. I have always thought so.

My piece was making the point, that although I still believe that it is very hard to wave your child off for a year! Thats all!

I am not going to comment any further on my daughters personal circumstances but suffice to say that all your assumptions are wildly incorrect!

Again - thanks for dropping by. You should head over to writing.ie and read the story of My Curtains - I hope it will make you smile!